The Music Butcherhttps://themusicbutcher.com
Serving up the finest cuts of Independent MusicTue, 14 Aug 2018 16:39:26 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://themusiccartelblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/cropped-screen-shot-2017-12-11-at-12-34-53-pm.png?w=32The Music Butcherhttps://themusicbutcher.com
3232Hayley Reardon – “America The Beautiful”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/08/13/hayley-reardon-america-the-beautiful/
Mon, 13 Aug 2018 19:00:43 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1620Read More ›]]>Hayley Reardon is am independent music artist from Boston, Massachusetts. From a very young age, Reardon quickly established a name for herself in the Cambridge, Massachusetts’s folk scene. Her debut album, “Where The Artists Go”, achieved widespread acclaim in New England with feature support from the Boston Herald,NPR affiliate WBUR, and Boston Globe Magazine, who named her a ‘Bostonian of the Year’. Hayley’s 2014 release “Wayfindings”gained even wider acclaim, getting international recognition from syndicated public radio show “Art of the Song,” and praise from Paste, Performer Magazine, Americana UK, and American Songwriter. In her newest video, Reardon released her modernized take on the classic “America The Beautiful”. In her own words, “Recently, “America the Beautiful” popped into my head and hit me differently than it ever had before. This old anthem, originally written in the 1800s, felt so poignant and important all of a sudden. It left me inspired to update the song in light of our current situation. This “America the Beautiful” is for all of the good, honorable people of every color, background, circumstance, and political affiliation who are out there every day, doing the best they can and whether they know it or not, making and keeping America beautiful — even in divisive and disappointing times like these.”

The song begins with an emotional acoustic guitar that has the folky atmosphere of traditional American music. Hayley’s voice is angelic and light while being assertive in her message. The opening lyrics are the familiar lines about beautiful and spacious skies. She then inserts her own thoughts and observations of a modern small town America. This is the theme that continues throughout the track; blending the classic phrases cemented into American minds from the original song with newer updated ideas and phrases from today. This is a clever way of exploring the ideas of where America began, and were it finds itself today. The music is simple and lays a perfect tonal foundation for a song that is meant to provoke thought. The guitar has a looseness to it that keeps an ever-changing emotional dynamic that follows Reardon’s voice through highs and lows. This is an artist looking around her and reflecting on the current state of her world while remaining mindful of the past, and conscious of the future. You can listen to “America The Beautiful” on our Prime Cuts Playlists on Spotify and Youtube and follow Hayley Reardon on the links below. Please continue to support artists like Hayley and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>500x500jackieleighgreenhayley-reardon-cadillac-photo-by-jessica-steddomM. Crane – “Cate In A Violent World”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/08/09/m-crane-cate-in-a-violent-world/
Thu, 09 Aug 2018 18:45:42 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1611Read More ›]]>M. Crane is an alternative indie rock band from Tucson, Arizona. They are made up of five members, Nick Maskill, Kyle Rosas, Andrew Lobo, Gaby Lisk, and Josiah Rodriguez. They have used their emotive vocals and dreamy soundscapes to establish themselves as a unique voice in their southwest desert home. M. Crane officially formed in 2015 and the release of their first EP drew comparisons to acts such as Muse and Mars Volta. Tucson Weekly stated that their music encapsulates a “moody, broody ambience decorated with cold and faraway feeling textures”. In their own words, the band says, “This music is honest about pain and beauty. It’s for lovers, thinkers, poets, stoners, mothers, zealots, our idols, and not for them too.”M. Crane released their first two EPS in 2016 and have toured the Southwest United States extensively, steadily growing their fan base. They are preparing to release their first full album, “King She”, later this year. In August 2018, M. Crane released the Matt Cole directed video for their song “Cate In A Violent World”.

The song starts right away with a punchy shuffling drum pattern that is then joined by ethereal instrumentation. Light guitar chords strum through a complex and emotional melodic structure while piano notes dance on top of the framework that is supported by a rumbling bass. The light falsetto of the vocals is a nice contrast to the deepness of the music and pulls the melody around into interesting places. After building momentum through a couple rotations of the verse, the band kicks into high gear. The crash of the drums doubles in size and the eerie tones ring out while guitars and bass drive the chorus into full-on arena rock mode; the vocals becoming more intense and powerful, stretching out musically showcasing the personality and unique talents of the singer. The band then explodes into an instrumental break flooded with psychedelic euphoria before quickly dropping back into a tight and mellow musical section where the emotive operatic vocals swim around the melody. They shoot straight back up into a screeching instrumental break that uses chaotic noise rock as a pathway to reach the harmonious crescendo, ending the song with every instrument and vocal layer firing on all cylinders.

The visuals of the video perfectly match the wonderful peculiarity and intensity of the song. It consists of a woman observing a series of strange scenes depicting other people engaged in seemingly unsettling and sometimes ugly behaviors. Her peaceful beauty is set against the violence and hostility of the other characters in the same way the song mixes beautiful melodies with loud and frenzied music. The imagery shows innocence surrounded by a world of viciousness. The evolving plots of these scenes inflict an inquisitive feeling, making whoever is ingesting this art question the meanings behind it, each person ultimately finding their own answers. This is a flawless display of the way good art can simultaneously make statements about the world while also asking important questions. You can watch the Video for “Cate In A Violent World” and follow M. Crane on the links below. You can also listen to the song on our Prime Cuts Playlists on Spotify and Youtube. Please continue to support artists like M. Crane and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>a3511030041_10jackieleighgreenmcrane+studio+nwm-56Screen Shot 2018-08-09 at 2.33.52 PMemzae – “Lucid Dreaming”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/08/08/emzae-lucid-dreaming/
Wed, 08 Aug 2018 18:06:22 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1607Read More ›]]>Sharing her self-produced music online since 2014, emzae has amassed support from BBC Introducing, who have aired a number of her tracks and invited her to play at various events including ‘Faction’ at Rough Trade, Nottingham, and Dot to Dot Festival 2018. Her thoughtful brand of melancholic pop music combines personal and observational lyrics, experimental lo-fi beats and emotive vocals to create memorable songs that make audiences sit up and listen. After over a year spent in her home studio and playing acoustic gigs throughout the East Midlands, emzae returns with new single “Lucid Dreaming”, a song about burning out in pursuit of a creative goal.

“Lucid Dreaming” begins with a deep contagious groove that is layered with eerie tones and a funky backbone. Emzae’s vocals has a soft confidence and rhythmic delivery reminiscent of 90s R&B. Playful harmonies take the chorus to the next level while the instrumentation doubles the size of the sound with tight drums and giant airy keys. The mood is thoughtful and sexy with an optimistic chill quality that soothes your soul and bobs your head. You can listen to “Lucid Dreaming” and follow emzae on the links below. Please continue to support artists like emzae and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>LDFINALjackieleighgreenifCeo1-gEcho Twelve – “Anoche”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/08/06/echo-twelve-anoche/
Mon, 06 Aug 2018 19:00:34 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1602Read More ›]]>Echo Twelve is an electronic music artist from Dublin, Ireland. He first fell in love with electronic music at the age of 12 when he discovered groups like 808 State and Beats International and spent many evenings listening to Irish pirate radio stations to hear music from the burgeoning acid house scene. He released his first EP “Soulitude” in 2016, and followed up with a full-length album in 2017 titled “Thrown In at the Deep End”. Collaborating with Washington D.C. based rock band Disco Muerte, he produced an Unkle-like edit of their track “Fault Line”. He also produced a stripped-down orchestral version of alt-pop artist Caitlyn Scarlett’s“Human, Being”. Still developing and growing his sound, Echo Twelve has just released his newest single “Anoche”.

“Anoche” begins with a hypnotizing acoustic guitar that is then joined by multiple layers of eclectic drums. First is an African style bongo, and then joined by a shuffling Spanish style rhythm, and then tightened up with an electronic influenced snappy snare drum that punches the beat over the top. Every rotation of the main hook adds something new. The sound steadily grows and becomes larger and larger as the song progresses. The groove is infectious and the melodic tones of the guitar have a dreamy quality while hitting funky high notes and keeping it right in the pocket. Elements are added and taken out, beautifully showing how effective simplicity can be. The beat never lets up and keeps the bouncing energy going through the different alleys of the song. Halfway in, the guitar melody shifts to a more dramatic movement that has an emotional nature and descending melody. The dance infused drums gives it an underground industrial flavor that balances the natural acoustic energy of the guitars. This is an eclectic track that seamlessly passes in and out of different emotions and tones while keeping an intoxicating rhythm. You can listen to “Anoche” on our Prime Cuts Playlists on Spotify and follow Echo Twelve on the links below. Please continue to support artists like Echo Twelve and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>1jackieleighgreen2Heather O’Neill – “Nicotine and Neon”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/08/01/heather-oneill-nicotine-and-neon/
Wed, 01 Aug 2018 19:00:38 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1598Read More ›]]>Heather O’Neill is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who was born in Ireland and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She lived in 18 similarly contrasting environments before the age of 30, giving a unique perspective on the world that heavily informed her music. O’Neill began recording in 2004 and has since released two LPs and one EP, leading to her touring around the major cities of the world, gigging in LA, NYC, Seattle and London. These releases and subsequent tours were rewarded with press, international podcasts and nods from hometown tastemakers like Radio One Chicago, drawing comparisons to Erykah Badu and Ani DiFranco. Her newest EP album, “Transmute”, has many themes and messages about the human experience. Heather says, “It’s about realizing that certain behavior no longer feeds you, but struggling with the innate attraction to those dark aspects along the journey… Like Mercurius from Roman mythology, I try to ‘enjoy my time equally with both the good and the wicked.” “Transmute” has been very well received by O’Neill’s large fan base and features the track “Nicotine and Neon”.

“Nicotine and Neon” begins with a force full drumbeat and perfectly simple chords; the instruments working together like a well-tightened machine. The mellow vocals are full of attitude and swagger, giving off a confident vibe while remaining cool and aloof. The chorus widens the sonic landscape into a larger sound and sparks the energy with a melodic hook full of momentum. The instrumental breaks have a gritty punk rock flavor mixed with pop-rock sensibilities and giant euphoric guitar peaks. The way Heather bends her lyrics around the beat and continuously changes it up is always interesting, building energy with classic soul and rock n’ roll style. This is a powerful upbeat track that provides both an optimistic feel good energy and rebellious confidence. You can listen to “Nicotine and Neon” and follow Heather O’Neill on the links below. Please continue to support artists like Heather and share this music with everyone you know.

Transmute album artjackieleighgreenpicSO {Standing Ovation} – “Saints”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/07/31/so-standing-ovation-saints/
Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:55:24 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1594Read More ›]]>SO {Standing Ovation} is an experimental hip-hop group from Los Angeles California created by the duo of Bronze Baby Shoes, aproducer from Virginia and The Character, a vocalist/lyricist residing in Los Angeles. On October 27th, 2017 they released the EP “Believers”. Styled as “Danny Brown flying on a killer ecstasy peyote cocktail cooked up by the Dow Chemical Company”, this EP consists of four tracks that were recorded over a five-day visit to Echo Park, Los Angeles. On June 8th, 2018 SO released the video for their track “Saints”.

The song begins with an infectious drum pattern that sounds like a funky military drummer in a dark club. Eerie angelic sythn tones and the looping main vocal hook then join this foundation to set the vibe. The full sound kicks in with space aged keys on top of a solid beat, setting up the framework for the very original and passionately delivered verses. The rhymes bounce on the beat with energy and stay tucked in the pocked while melodically doing high registered vocal acrobatics. The lyrics fit in many ideas and themes from the artist’s personal story while giving them a strange and creative spin, the line “Culture Vultures tried to eat me” sticks out. You can listen to “Saints” and Follow SO on the links below. Please continue to support artists like SO {Standing Ovation} and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>DNWwkzVUEAA2Ji2.jpg-largejackieleighgreenScreen Shot 2018-07-31 at 2.48.25 PMThBenj – “Manipulated”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/07/30/thbenj-manipulated/
Mon, 30 Jul 2018 19:00:45 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1589Read More ›]]>Benjamin aka ThBenj is a singer/songwriter, producer, and multi instrumentalist from Olbia Tempio, Italy. He has dedicated his entire life to music, starting his career early as a drummer in several bands playing genres ranging from rock, soul, pop and more. In 2012 Benjamin traveled to Australia, busking in the streets as an acoustic artist during the day and spending nights in pubs and clubs playing drums with a duo. In 2016 he made his way to Ibiza to concentrate on music production working with a DJ creating Electronic Deep House music in the duo Overclick that gained attention from Ibiza Global Radio. In 2018, ThBenj focused his attention on his first solo project, writing and producing all the material. On June 29ththe first single from the upcoming album “Spectral Entertainment” was released, a track titled “Manipulated”.

“Manipulated” is a genre bending eclectic track that shines with originality. The song begins with eerie tones and a looping melody that sets a cool and strange vibe. The beat drops and the musical landscape simplifies, heavy drums holding down the rhythm while thunderous horn section punches in the framework for the slinky vocals. The voice is full of swagger and attitude, bouncing around different rhyme schemes and attacking the beat from every possible angle. The tone shifts when an acoustic guitar is introduced and an emotional chord structure takes the track down a different path before dramatically dropping back into the chorus. The song has the perfect mix of creepy and cool; blending a confident attitude and head bobbing beats with trippy sounds and an eerie atmosphere. You can listen to “Manipulated” and follow ThBenj on the links below. Please continue to support artists like ThBenj and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>IMG_6725jackieleighgreen37100785_414615042384909_4447071346584715264_n (1)The Rotations- “Hollow Point”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/07/24/the-rotations-hollow-point/
Tue, 24 Jul 2018 19:00:42 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1583Read More ›]]>The Rotations are an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. Their “about” section on their Facebook page simply states “yER mAKKIN uS sEEK wAe yER BIO dRIVEL” and their personal interests include “guns, drugs, and revolution”. When asked for a bio, the band responded with “The Unfriendliest Band in Scotland.” This is exactly the way a truly rebellious band should answer such questions. On June 8th, 2018 The Rotations released 5 tracks on their Bandcamp Page to add to their already extensive discography, one of which is the song “Hollow Point”.

“Hollow Point” begins with an eccentric drum pattern and is one by one joined by other instruments. The layering of sounds and tones is unique and gives the song a cool and experimental vibe as the tension builds with each expanding note. The vocals are the perfect mix of creepy and attitude, mellow but with a steady swagger. It builds until the song breaks open into a multi tiered musical section. Each instrument is in its own world but when added to each other they create an expressive soundscape full of strange noises and powerful phrases backed up by an aggressive bass line and cracking drums. The short and poignant song says all it needs to in a little over two minutes. You can listen to “Hollow Point” and follow The Rotations on the links below. Please continue to support artists like The Rotations and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>a0529079337_10jackieleighgreenDg2Qg5WWkAAXBRzSafehaus – “Going Down”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/07/23/safehaus-going-down/
Mon, 23 Jul 2018 18:59:10 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1579Read More ›]]>Safehaus are a South West UK based Alt-Rock band consisting of Ben Kench on vocals and guitar and Clive Radford on guitars and production. Their latest EP, Förlänga was released on May 10th 2018 and precedes a full-length album, which will be available later this year. Safehaus was formed amid the thriving Bristol scene and the chemistry was there from the first note. Safehaus’ musical odyssey brought the duo into mainland Europe, and an encounter with the legendary Manu Dibango took their musical creativity to another level. Safehaus’ alternative rock and Manu Dibango’s world music proved to be a perfect marriage. The collaboration with the 77-year-old trendsetter, known to the world for the global hit “Soul Makossa”, resulted in the beautiful song “Shallow Waters”. The bands newest single is titled “Going Down”.

“Going Down” begins with a folky acoustic guitar setting the tempo and a dirty sounding slide line on top setting the tone. The attitude of the guitars matched with the vocals have a soulful flavor of music from another time, conveyed with modern production and clever songwriting. The beat kicks in harder, steadily growing the sound larger and larger as the track progresses. Ethereal vocal harmonies and string sections are added, taking the steady rhythm into a weirder place eventually leading down, down into a more dramatic section of the song. The cool vibe gradually turns creepy and more sinister while maintaining its original charm. You can listen to “Going Down” and follow Safehaus on the links below. Please continue to support artists like Safehaus and share this music with everyone you know.

]]>Förlänga_EP_4kjackieleighgreenJoey Salvia – “My Son”https://themusicbutcher.com/2018/07/18/joey-salvia-my-son/
Wed, 18 Jul 2018 18:46:46 +0000http://themusicbutcher.com/?p=1572Read More ›]]>Joe Salvia is a Brooklyn born songwriter, musician, and radio/podcast producer. He has commercially released over 10 albums and performs solo acoustic shows as well as handling bass and vocal duties with various bands in the DFW area. Salvia has also spent over ten thousand hours behind a mic and soundboard doing voice over work, commercials, and production for radio and podcasts. His audio production and voice-over work can be heard nationwide on Cumulus Media/Westwood One stations and shows every day (including the popular Opie Radio Podcast). In July of 2018 Joey released a 5-track album titled “Family Matters” across several streaming platforms. Salvia says this is “…a project close to my heart… with songs about family, fatherhood, love, relationships, and memories of childhood. I was fortunate to have the very talented Nick Bertling produce this effort, and my old band mate and dear friend, Andy Bopp produced the final track. There’s a song dedicated to Roman Coda (9), “My Son” who’s drawing is the cover art for Family Matters.”

The song “My Son” wastes no time, beginning with moving piano chords and a soulful unique voice. The melody moves in dramatic directions and when the progression makes it’s way around the full band kicks in. The steady drums and bouncing bass lines give the song a poppy rhythm that the song can strongly build on and adds a classic flavor. As he leads into the chorus, more and more instrumental layers are added creating a giant sound that pushes this anthem over the top. Lyrically, Salvia gives touching messages to his son about what to expect in life and passes on lessons to help him along the way. It’s a tear jerking dedication about fatherhood that is perfectly matched with the poignant music behind the message. Electric guitars aggressively hit the melody and harmonize to a peak ending, beautifully capping off a perfectly executed track that has both melodically flowing sections and a strong rhythmic backbone you can hang your hat on. The subject matter is close to Joey’s heart, so when he sings the words and plays the chords, there is a real human emotion behind it which is what all great art should have. You can listen to “My Son” and follow Joey Salvia on the links below. Please continue to support artists like Joey and share this music with everyone you know.